The controversy rages as scientists continue to study the effects of static stretching on strength and power output. In 2010, the American College of Sports Medicine1 suggested that static stretching be performed after rather than before activities where muscular strength, endurance, and power are important for performance. This was based on research studies available at that time. For a look at some of the earlier research check out our June 21, 2010 blog on The Effects of Low and High Volume Stretching on Bench Press Performance. Although there are a number of papers that report declines in activities requiring maximal muscle effort performed after

Almost half of our food expenditure today is on food prepared away from home.1 And we all know that food prepared away from home is far too often high in calories, unhealthy fat, and sodium. So why are we eating out so much? The top three reasons for choosing fast foods are2: Rapid service Convenient location Good-tasting food Researchers from Texas A&M University recently investigated whether additional explanations for eating away from home exist. In particular, they looked at factors like: parental work (whether one or both parents were working), family meal rituals (like who eats dinner together and whether family

If you are one of the 60% of Americans who is overweight and have decided to lose weight and get in better shape this information will be important to you. Why? Because appropriate exercise intensity is important for burning calories and for achieving long-term weight loss. Many cardiovascular machines now have built-in heart rate monitors which is one way to monitor your exercise intensity. They are there to help you see if you are exercising in your “target heart rate zone”. If you are in “your zone” you will be working hard enough to burn sufficient calories and train your heart. It is equally important for you to know

A recent Irish PSA has stirred up some controversy on whether scare tactics or fear appeals are appropriate and effective ways to ignite behavior change. After viewing the first video below, Stop the Spread, take a look at the second video, Take the Lead. Which ad campaign motivates you to change? They take two clearly different approaches! The Fear Appeal Theory has been studied for over 60 years and has been used since the beginning of time by everyone from doctors and parents to police officers and politicians. I'm sure you can think of a time when you've

Question: When is the best time of day to exercise? Answer: In terms of quality of sleep, new research presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine this month suggests morning may be best.1 Sleep is often viewed as a luxury and something we commonly sacrifice when trying to fit everything into our busy lives. Studies show, however, that people who get the appropriate amount of sleep tend to live longer, healthier lives than those who do not.2 Specifically, not getting enough sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions such as

According to nutrition scientists, “eat less saturated fat” may not be the best dietary message to promote. For many years, however, we have been telling people to limit their fat intake, especially saturated fats in foods like cheese, butter, and fatty meat. But recent studies published in reputable journals fueled a “Great Fat Debate” that was held at the American Dietetic Association’s annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo last fall. Last month, transcripts from this debate were published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.1 The debate stemmed from several recent studies. First was an analysis that included 21 separate studies and almost 350,000 subjects on the effect

Finding ways to engage in physical activity while avoiding injury is a major goal of training programs. All activities have risks. Most of the time the benefits outweigh the risks, as was discussed last week in the post “Exercise: Why Risk the Injury.” As discussed, “active individuals had a 17%-19% lower chance of injury during non-sport or non-leisure time activities than those who were inactive”. But injuries still exist in activity.1 Research on exercise-related injuries was sparse at the peak of the fitness boom in the 1980s. Since then, studies have attempted to understand injuries. But this area is still

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has had a long history with food guidance, dating back into the early 20th century. Looking back over this history, many different food guides have been used. They represented health and nutrition concerns of the time when they were introduced. In the 1940s, the wartime food guide promoted eating foods that provided the vitamins and minerals needed to prevent deficiencies. In the 1950s-1960s, the seven food groups were simplified into a “Food for Fitness” guide, which was commonly called “The Basic Four.” By the later 1970s, concerns about dietary excess led the USDA to issue “The Hassle-Free Daily Food